By Yuvraj Tyagi
Copyright timesnownews
Afghanistan has been hit by a sweeping communications blackout after Taliban authorities began deliberately cutting fibre-optic internet connections across the country. The disruption, described by internet watchdog NetBlocks as a “nationwide telecoms blackout,” has reduced national connectivity to just 14% of normal levels. “We’re now observing national connectivity at 14% of ordinary levels,” NetBlocks reported, adding that the shutdown was consistent with an intentional government-ordered disconnection. The restrictions began in mid-September, when Taliban leaders ordered Balkh province to ban fibre-optic internet entirely. Provincial spokesperson Attaullah Zaid announced that the directive came from the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, citing the need to prevent “vice.” Similar measures soon followed in Badakhshan, Takhar, Kandahar, Helmand, Nangarhar, and Uruzgan. Impact on Phones and Daily Life Afghanistan’s telecom infrastructure is heavily reliant on shared fibre-optic lines, meaning that cutting high-speed internet also disrupts mobile and landline telephone services. “Physically pulling the plug on fibre internet would therefore also shut down mobile and fixed-line telephone services,” NetBlocks explained. For many Afghans, the blackout has crippled communication, business operations, and access to digital services. It has also left humanitarian groups struggling to stay in contact with staff and beneficiaries in remote provinces. A Blow to Women’s Rights and Education Critics say the shutdown is another step in the Taliban’s campaign to tighten social restrictions. Since 2021, authorities have banned girls from secondary schools and universities, forcing many to rely on online courses. The blackout effectively severs that last lifeline. “It kept our spirits alive,” one Kabul-based student told local media, describing online study as her only connection to education. Women’s rights advocates warn that the Taliban are using “digital isolation” as a tool to enforce broader social control, preventing access to online communities, job opportunities, and global awareness campaigns. From Promise to Isolation The move marks a dramatic reversal from just a year ago, when Kabul’s authorities promoted Afghanistan’s 9,350-km fibre-optic network — built largely under U.S.-backed governments — as key to development and poverty reduction. Now, experts warn, dismantling that infrastructure risks pushing Afghanistan further into economic and social isolation. International condemnation is expected, but the Taliban remain defiant, insisting that “alternative options” for connectivity will be introduced. For ordinary Afghans, however, the blackout deepens uncertainty in a country already facing humanitarian and economic crises. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.
